Omnicom Group Plots Launch of Third Media Agency Network

Company Has Been Canvassing Adland for a Prospective CEO

Omnicom Group is plotting the creation of a third media agency brand and conflict shop to compete alongside its two existing brands, OMD and PHD.

While Omnicom is still in the early planning stages, its media recruiters in the past couple of weeks have begun reaching out to senior-level executives in the industry in the hopes of poaching a prospective CEO for a third shop, according to multiple people familiar with the outreach.

The move is likely a play to navigate the thorny world of client conflicts. Setting up a third media agency would mean it was following in the footsteps of others that have recently created new options for marketers in the hopes of being able to participate in more media reviews.

Omnicom is the last holding company with fewer than three global media agencies, and both OMD and PHD tout crowded client rosters with business in nearly every marketing category. OMD works with retailers JCPenney, Toys "R" Us and Walgreens, as well as Apple, State Farm, PepsiCo, Visa, Wells Fargo, Clorox and McDonald's. Sister shop PHD works with Gap, pharma giant GSK, Unilever and Starbucks.

Many agencies are often boxed out due to conflicts as they're typically supporting an entire product portfolio, versus only one brand.

It's not clear whether OMG will build from scratch or revamp an existing brand. If it chooses to revamp, it could revitalize Prometheus, a third media agency brand that spun off from OMD in 2005 and has been dormant for some time. When it launched, OMG shifted a few accounts to the new smaller shop. The Prometheus website is still live but "under construction."

The fight for every marketing dollar is growing ever-harder for agencies. Omnicom's second quarter earnings last week showed a modest profit increase to $289.5 million, up from $282.7 million for the same quarter in the prior year.

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Alexandra Bruell

Alexandra bruell is the lead agency reporter at Advertising Age. She specializes in coverage of digital, media buying & planning and PR. Prior to joining Ad Age in May 2011, she was a senior reporter at PRWeek. Earlier in her career she worked at a small healthcare ad agency then called TheCementWorks. She earned her BA at Tulane University.